Ratking

‘Hello?’

‘
Hello? Who is it?
’

‘Who’s calling?’

‘
I want to speak to Senator Rossi
.’

‘Speaking.’

‘
Ah, it’s you, Senator? Forgive me! These phones make
everyone sound like anyone, or rather no one. This is Antonio
Crepi
.’

‘Commendatore! What a pleasure! Are you here in Rome?’

‘
In Rome? God forbid! No no. I’m in Perugia. At home, at
the villa. You remember it?
’

‘But of course, of course. Of course.’

‘
When my eldest boy married
.’

‘Exactly. Precisely. An unforgettable occasion. A wonderful couple. How are they both?’

‘
I don’t see that much of them. Corrado’s moved to Milan
and Annalisa’s seeing some footballer, or so they tell me. Our
paths don’t cross very often
.’

‘Ah, what a shame.’

‘
These things happen nowadays! I don’t really give a damn
any more. At our age it’s absurd to go on pretending. Let them do
what they like. Just as long as I’ve got my vines and my olives,
and one or two friends I can still talk to. People I understand and
who understand me. You know what I’m talking about?
’

‘Of course, of course! Friendship is the most important thing in life, I always say. No question about that.’

‘
I’m glad to hear you say so. Because the fact is I’m phoning
to ask for your help on behalf of a friend. A mutual friend. I’m
talking about Ruggiero Miletti
.’

‘Ah. A tragic business.’

‘
Do you know how long it has been now?
’

‘Shocking.’

‘
Nearly four and a half months. A hundred and thirty-seven
days and nights of agony for the Miletti family and for all their
friends. To say nothing of
Ruggiero
himself
.’

‘Horrible.’

‘
A man as old as you or I, Senator, chained up in some shack
in the mountains, in this bitter weather, at the mercy of a gang
of callous bandits!
’

‘Dreadful. Scandalous. If only one could do something to help …’

‘
But you can help! You must help!
’

‘In any way I can, Commendatore! I am only too ready, believe me. But we must be realistic. Kidnapping is the scourge of society today, a plague and a peril in the face of which we are all equally vulnerable, equally powerless, equally …’

‘
Rubbish! Excuse me, but when something happens to one of
you politicians the whole country is put into a state of siege!
Nothing is too much trouble then, no expense is spared. But
when it’s an ordinary, decent, law-abiding citizen like our friend
Ruggiero no one even takes any notice. Business as usual! “It’s
his own fault. Why didn’t he take more precautions?”
’

‘Commendatore, do not let us fall into the trap of deluding ourselves that any responsible person might presume to deny the gravity of …’

‘
Keep that stuff for the press, Senator. This is Antonio Crepi
you’re talking to! Don’t you try and tell me we are still equal. If
you were kidnapped, God forbid, you would get the crack units,
the top men. Well, that’s what I want for Ruggiero
.’

‘Of course, of course! Naturally!’

‘
I’m not blaming the people here in Perugia. But let’s face it
,
if they were the best they wouldn’t be here, would they? They
would be in Rome, looking after you politicians.
’

‘One should perhaps avoid exaggerating the effectiveness of the measures to which you refer, Commendatore.’

‘
Listen, if you get a pain in the chest you go to a specialist,
right?
’

‘Our specialists couldn’t save Aldo Moro.’

‘
Spare me the talk, Senator! God knows we’ve had enough
talk. Now, I want action, and that’s why I’m phoning. I want a
top man sent up here to shake up the whole operation. A new
face, afresh approach. You can arrange that in a second, with
your contacts
.’

‘Well …’

‘
Or is it too much to ask?’

‘It’s not …’

‘
Don’t you think
Ruggiero
deserves the best?
’

‘Naturally.’

‘
Senator, I wouldn’t have bothered to call you if I thought
you were one of those people with short memories. There are
enough of them about, God knows! But no, I thought, Rossi’s
not like that. He hasn’t forgotten what the Miletti family has
meant to him. Senator, I beg you, think of them now! Think
what they are going through. Think what it will mean to them
to know that thanks to you one of the top policemen in Italy has
been sent to Perugia to inspire the hunt for their beloved father!
And then think that you can arrange all that with a single
phone call, as easily as ordering a taxi
.’

‘You overestimate my power.’

‘
I hope not. I sincerely hope not. Because I have always
thought of you as a friend and ally, and it would sadden me to
feel that I could no longer count on your support. And you on
mine, Senator, and on that of the Miletti family and their many
friends
.’

‘For heaven’s sake, Commendatore! What are you talking about? Do not please permit ourselves to be misled into imagining that …’

‘
Perfect! There is no more to say, then. When can I expect to
hear?
’

‘Well, in a situation of this type one would perhaps be wise to avoid imposing rigid deadlines. Nevertheless, broadly speaking, I would by no means rule out the possibility of being in a position to …’

‘
I’d like to know by this afternoon
.’

‘Oh, you would, would you?’

‘
Or perhaps you have more important business to attend to?
’

‘Look here, Crepi, it’s no good your expecting miracles, you know! Excuse me saying so.’

‘
I’m not asking for miracles, Senator. I’m asking for justice
.
Or does that take a miracle in this country?
’

‘Lapucci.’

‘
Did I wake you, Giorgio?
’

‘Who’s this?’

‘
Gianpiero Rossi
.’

‘Ah, good morning, Senator! No, I was working in the other office. No one ever believes it, of course, but we do work here at Central Office.’

‘
Listen Giorgio, I have a little problem I think you may be
able to help me with
.’

‘Consider it done.’

‘
You know about the Miletti kidnapping?
’

‘The tyre king from Modena?’

‘
Modena! What do you mean, Modena? Would I give a damn
if he was from Modena? Miletti, Miletti! Radios, televisions!
’

‘Ah, of course. Excuse me. From Perugia.’

‘
From Perugia, exactly. And that’s my problem. Because
some people there, friends of the family, feel that not enough is
being done. You know how it is, everyone wants special attention. And these are people who are difficult to refuse. Do you
follow?
’

‘Perfectly.’

‘
Like they say, the poor pray for miracles, the rich think they
have a right to them. Now, I’m not trying to justify what can
not and should not be justified. I neither condone nor condemn
.
But the fact remains that I’m in a difficult situation. You see
what I mean?
’

‘Of course. But what exactly do they want, these people? If you don’t mind my asking.’

‘
They want a name
.’

‘A name? Whose name?’

‘
That is entirely up to you. It must be someone presentable,
naturally. Don’t make me look like an idiot. If he’s well known
so much the better
.’

‘And what is this person to do?’

‘
Why, go and sort things out
.’

‘Go to Perugia?’

‘
To Perugia, of course!
’

‘A police official?’

‘
Exactly. Can you help me?
’

‘Well, I must say that this is a particularly difficult moment, Senator. Since the Cabinet reshuffle the party’s relations with the Ministry have been …’

‘
When you’ve been around as long as I have, Giorgio, you’ll
know that it’s always a particularly difficult moment. That’s
why I rang you instead of some other people whose names came
to mind. Now can you help me?
’

‘Well, despite the changes I’ve just referred to, we do have various contacts, of course. There’s one in particular I’m thinking of who may well be able …’

‘
I’m not interested in the details, Giorgio. I just want to
know if you can help me. Or should I ring someone else? Perhaps you could recommend someone?
’

‘You must be joking, Senator. Anything that can be done, I’ll do for you. By this time tomorrow you’ll …’

‘
By this time tomorrow I’ll be in Turin. Make it this afternoon. I’ll be here till seven
.’

‘Very well.’

‘
Excellent. I knew I did right to call you. I’ve got a nose for
these things. Giorgio’s a man who can make things happen, I
thought A million thanks. I’ll be expecting your call
.’

‘
Yes?
’

‘Enrico?’

‘
Who’s that?
’

‘Giorgio Lapucci.’

‘
Christ, I thought it was his royal highness. Excuse me while
I change my trousers
.’

‘Why the panic?’

‘
He’s at a conference in Strasbourg, and every so often he
phones me and demands a complete update on the situation
here. All part of this new managerial style you’ve been reading
about. Keeps us on our toes, he says. Anyway, what can I do for
you?
’

‘I suppose this line is safe?’

‘
Giorgio, this is the Ministry of the Interior you’re talking to.
Any phone tapping that goes on around here, we do it
.’

‘Of course.’

‘
So what’s up?
’

‘Well, it’s the old story, I’m afraid. Someone’s leaning on someone who’s leaning on me.’

‘
And you want to lean on me
.’

‘Isn’t that what friends are for? But it shouldn’t be too difficult. It’s a question of getting a senior police official transferred temporarily to Perugia to take over a kidnapping case.’

‘
That’s all?
’

That’s all.’

‘
No problem. I can lose it in the routine postings and bang it
through at departmental level. No one ever looks at that stuff. The
only headache could be finding someone. When are we talking?
’

‘Now.’

‘
Shit. Look, I’ll have to think a bit. Let me get back to you
.’

‘Today, though.’

‘
I’ll do my best
.’

‘I appreciate it, Enrico. Give my best to Nicola.’